


Moon's Haunted

by hirusen



Series: Liam Deklon: Assassin Of The Light [6]
Category: Destiny (Video Games)
Genre: Canon Universe, Canon-Typical Violence, Destiny 2 Spoilers, Destiny 2: Shadowkeep, Destiny 2: Shadowkeep Spoilers, Established Relationship, Friendship, Hive Runes, I can't stress this enough, Spoilers, Throne World (Destiny), canon plot
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-01
Updated: 2019-11-01
Packaged: 2020-11-22 09:10:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20871749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hirusen/pseuds/hirusen
Summary: And as tagged several times before: SPOILERS for Destiny 2: Shadowkeep.





	1. A Mysterious Disturbance

**Author's Note:**

> And as tagged several times before: SPOILERS for Destiny 2: Shadowkeep.

Liam tossed about his bed, unable to be still even in sleep. The Hive runes he had on his skin tingled and glowed, restless like the human they belonged to. Jolting awake, Liam panted softly as sweat rolled down his forehead, wiping it away as the Hunter collected his thoughts. Of course, that was when Crota and Oryx appeared before him; he was thankful Drifter decided to check the integrity of the Derelict tonight, would have freaked him out to see these two.

"You seem troubled, friend." Crota spoke, his father nodding in agreement. "Oh? And what gave that way?" Liam snarked, knowing full well it was because his runes still haven't settled, even though he was awake now. "An echo of an old friend has reached out to you; I thought you would have been joyful to have commune with them?" Liam sighed, falling back onto the mattress, arm landing over his eyes. "I am, but it's her word that bothers me." "Word?" Crota asked, confused. Liam nodded. "And what, pray tell, was this single word that has you so concerned?" Liam leveled a heavy look at Oryx, and both he and his son knew just how much this single word was troubling the champion of the Light.

"Help."

* * *

"Why did the Commander lift the ban on here now?" One of his fireteam asked, having checked the live news feed for the most recent updates from the Vanguard; they had just met up to do a Nightfall, the Fanatic resurrected once more and thus needed to be put in the ground again.

The Warlock that was with them didn't reply, most likely giving a shrug; she wasn't much of a talker in the comms either, but damn could she clear a room with that Nova. Suddenly, the emergency channel cracked with static, a frame rattling off numbers that meant a call to arms in a restricted location.

_"Attention, all Guardians,"_ Zavala's voice boomed over the comms, _"Last night, we detected a seismic disturbance on the Moon. Within hours, it was swarming with Hive. This plague must not be allowed to spread."_ The message was followed by the coordinates of the Landing Zone for the incursion sight.

"I ain't messing with the Moon again, no sir." "Even if the Commander is the one asking?" The Warlock countered and Liam practically saw as the Titan waved a hand in front of his face. "No way! I know you were reborn after this one over here took out Ghaul and the Light was restored, but let me tell you: the Moon is no place **anyone** should be on." Liam scoffed. "So you'd rather let the Hive have a base so close to home, then fight back and keep them there?"

The Titan hummed to agree with the question and Liam sighed. "Idiot. The greatest threats to humanity have been on Luna. We need to stomp it out now, while they're still gathering." The third of their fireteam closed his comms, breaking off and jumping away from them, most likely done with the situation. Another groan left Liam before, "Um..."

"...Let's head to the Tower real fast and I'll explain anything you want to know."

* * *

It didn't take long to explain everything to the Warlock upon arrival; of Crota and Oryx, of Ghaul whom she only knew of through rumor and tales, of the Fanatic who took away his Vanguard and fiance, causing Liam to besiege the Tangled Shore as a one-man-army to avenge him and lived.

She thanked him for the lessons and went about her day. Liam chuckled to himself by her actions, being reminded of the many lessons he taught the newly reborn at Ikora's request, teaching them the basics of combat and teamwork on Zavala's and Lord Shaxx's behalf, and showing them how to survive on their own for Cayde.

But there was someone else who needed him now.

"Liam?" He heard Zavala speak and turned to the Titan, offering him a small smile. "I'm answering your call to arms, Zavala, just need to change out my gear." The Awoken offered him a solemn look. "Without Eris Morn, you've been our expect on the Hive." Liam laughed at that. "I've been your expert on all of the enemies of humanity."

Zavala dropped his head and chuckled himself. Liam wasn't wrong. "What I'm saying is: be careful. I'm not sure how we'll bring back any kind of moral if you end up dying." Liam sighed deeply; the last time anyone people looked up to left to go into an area that the Commander had banned them from going to, they ended up dead.

But he didn't need to worry; after all, thanks to his Hive runes, Liam could survive most of the Hive's magics and, if need be, jump into his own throne world to recover and hide. He felt as Oryx and Crota let their presences show for a small moment while no one else but Zavala was looking, not enjoying the implication that they could betray the one they're bound to serve.

Commander Zavala flinched when he saw the two Hive gods shadowing Liam before they vanished. "If anything, Commander, the Moon is probably the best place for me; I can understand their magics and rituals thanks to these two. Besides, Crota can give me plenty of insight of what's going on at the incursion site. Okay? So don't you worry so much about me." Liam offered and the comfort seemed to have worked, Zavala easing up a little.

After they parted ways, Zavala once more cautioning Liam to be careful, the Hunter checked in with the other vendors, picked up anything that would take a bit of time to do, and then was about to leave--having dug up the Hive ship he recieved after he killed off the Mind Bender--when he noticed he had a package waiting for him at Cayde's station.

Liam found that odd; everyone knew that, unless they managed to find one of Cayde-6's personal stashes or items, that any personal packages for him either went to his Postmaster or Drifter. So why is it there? Heading down into the Hanger, he found the package and opened it, revealing a suit that was named Substitutional Alloy.

He didn't like the uneasy feeling that washed over him as he slipped the pieces on, feeling the faintest of echos of Vex on the armor. While it looked old and rusted and had leaves and other foliage infused into it, it felt like it was brand new, like it had been freshly created.

Liam knew it was a gift from the Vex, but why? Why give this now? Why was this armor presented to him upon him hearing about the Moon incursion? Those thoughts could wait until later.

Right now, Eris Morn had called to him for help and he wasn't going to leave her hanging. Cayde had once told him as he worried about Eris that if she wanted to come home, she will; _this_ was her homecoming.

Home, to the aid of a trusted friend.

* * *

Upon arriving at the incursion, Zavala's voice rang throughout the comms. _"The Hive pour onto the surface of our Moon from the Keep. That is where our disturbance originated. We will investigate, but first we must regain a lunar foothold."_ Liam knew that he and Ikora were desperately trying to unravel why this was happening now.

There were a lot of questions with that word starting to pop up recently, weren't there? Why? Why now? Why here? Why the Keep?

They'll be answered in time, but Liam hopes the list of questions doesn't stack too high.

_"For some of you, this is all too familiar. But do not let the atrocities of Crota haunt you. Whatever this is, we will not let the tragedies of our past repeat themselves."_ Zavala tried to reassure Liam's fellow veterans, a good dozen or so of them part of the resistance against the Hive, and Crota was suddenly a second skin on his own.

_Crota?_ Liam silently asked, but the Hive Prince didn't respond, the Hunter only feeling the other's anxiety over the situation. That can't be good. As they fought against the Hive, something odd jumped at Liam; these Hive...they're too disorganized. This wasn't a planned assault, it was merely an attack of opportunity.

_Someone else is at play here._ It had to be the truth; why else would his Hive markings be pulsing frantically? They had only done that before he encountered Crota, Omnigul, Oryx, Nokris, and Xol. The leader behind this whole thing had to be Hive, and Liam hasn't had the chance to grace them with his presences.

Finally they cleared enough of the area for the Hive to retreat. "The Hive appear to be retreating. Commander, these Hive are erratic. Scattered." Aiden spoke, Zavala tapping into his personal comms to speak privately. _"They lack leadership. Crota's death left a void they have yet to fill. But the disturbance seems to have emboldened them. They must be stopped."_ "We're on it." Aiden reassured as Liam raced down a little cavern.

Before him was a large fortress of red, the Keep clearly being the huge tower in the middle of it. "Hive are coming from that portal up ahead. Let's shut it down." Said portal was at the mouth to the fortress, an army of Hive between Liam and it.

Just a typical day as a Guardian.

Crota, however, caught his attention as he went to the first sigil to drain it. **_That portal was opened at the mouth of the Scarlet Keep to keep Guardians away._**_ So, wait, the Hive are trying to _protect_ us?_ Crota hummed in agreement and Liam focused on his Hive runes while he fought off anything trying to kill him.

Hive magic, after all, was now embedded into nearly every inch of the Moon, but instead of that familiarity, all he felt was darkness. One that had been coiled around the original Thorn that Shin Malphur had gifted him to do with however he wished (and creating the Lumina hadn't been easy).

A consuming darkness. A corrupting darkness.

**The** Darkness.

Why was it here? And what did it have to do with Eris? Those answers lie on the death of the Eye of the Swarm.

Taking out the Shrieker wasn't an easy task, but Liam managed. "The portal is down, Commander." _"Good work, Guardians. Thanks to you, we'll have an LZ up and running_ soon." Zavala spoke into the public comms, quickly switching back to Liam's private one. _"__In__ the meantime, press on towards the Keep."_ No need to tell Liam twice.

_"Guardian. There's no time to lose."_ A woman's voice pipped into his ear and Liam felt his blood run cold. "Ikora?" Something was wrong. Very wrong. It had to be; Liam knew that Eris was one of Ikora's Hidden, so for that level of concern to be in her voice...

It didn't bode well for what was happening here on the Moon.

_"This 'disturbance'--I know what triggered it. Who triggered it. Eris Morn."_ That was a surprise. "Eris is back on the Moon?" Aiden asked; he always like to do the talking for Liam when he needed to focus on what was happening in the field, knowing extremely well exactly what Liam was going to ask. _"Last I heard from her, she was headed into the Keep. I don't even know if she's still--"_ "We'll find her. Alive."

Aiden reassured Ikora. They had to find her alive; Eris was one of Liam's close friends before Ghaul had struck the Tower and snared the Light away. Liam knew, even when no one had heard from her, that she was safe and alive. And even when they had taken back their home, despite Ikora's worry, Cayde and Liam had reassured her that Eris would be fine.

Liam kept running through the halls of the tower that lead to the Keep, his face twisted with determined rage.

This was personal. This was his alone to deal with. He had to find his friend and help her, just like she had asked him to.

_"Before we can gain access to the Keep, you'll need to clear the surrounding area. Assistance is on its way."_ Liam spotted the drop ships arriving and sprinted towards them, eager for whatever aid they could provide. "Commander, was the Vanguard aware of the Hive's activity on the Moon before the disturbance?" Aiden asked, thinking that Liam would want to know, and the Hunter did.

If Ikora knew that Eris was here on the Moon, does that mean the Vanguard has been worried about a sudden resurgence just like this from the Hive when they had lost their Light? _"We've been closely monitoring their progress, but had not yet discovered the purpose of this Scarlet Keep."_ Zavala spat the name out with venom, clearly not enjoying standing back while they watched the Hive construct this place.

_Eris would know why they built it here._ Crota certainly had no idea and Liam couldn't figure a guess out himself. Liam felt his face lighting up a little as a Drake tank was airdropped in. It was a little bit of an annoyance to destroy the second Eye of the Swarm, but he didn't miss the way Crota became more uneasy as they drew closer and even his own Hive markings were starting to glow bright enough to be seen despite his armor and were pulsing against his skin even more.

They were getting closer to the source of the Darkness that lies within the Moon.

"The path is clear. Ready to head into the Scarlet Keep." They heard as someone came into the comms, but hadn't chosen to speak yet, Liam noticing that they had muted their end of the channel; at a guess, it had been Ikora and she was talking to Zavala. _"Eris came to me. She'd found evidence of something very old on the Moon. A potential threat to humanity."_

Something old that had been buried in the Moon didn't exactly sit well with any of them. _"Eris insisted on going alone. Just a scouting mission, she said. And I let her. Eris is resilient. She's proven that again and again. Often to her own detriment."_ Liam chuckled at those words. "If anybody can take care of themselves, it's Eris Morn." He said. Liam always believed that Eris's old Hunter resilience was at work every time the woman went somewhere alone, so there wasn't anything to really worry about.

Static crackled through the comms. "Ikora?" Nothing. "We've lost her signal. That's strange." Crota had become totally on guard. He knew that they were still close enough to the surface that the signal shouldn't have been lost yet. Something wanted Liam, and Liam _alone._

As they rounded a corner of the corridor that looked like Hive created it but certainly didn't feel like it, a figure, humanoid and created from a red smoke or mist, suddenly vanished from sight, the world warping slightly in the wake of its presence. "What was that?" Aiden asked. "I'm...not sure." From what he had sensed, it felt...wrong. Real, but not.

Pushing onwards, Liam dropped into an easily escapable pit, but suddenly felt like he was trapped as Hive quickly swarmed him. But these Hive didn't look a thing like any he's fought before. Even within the very depths of the Earth and Moon, taken within the Dreadnought, and frozen beneath the surface of Mars, no Hive Liam has ever fought had spikes like that on their body. Ever.

Aiden confirmed his thoughts moments later. "These Hive...they're not actually Hive. Their energy signature is entirely unfamiliar." "Crota, any ideas on what this is?" The Hive Prince shook his head. _I don't like that we're facing a true unknown._ Crota commented and Liam agreed. Ghaul was Cabal, which were familiar to Guardians one way or another; the Fanatic was resurrecting dead Fallen; and even the very first time Liam encountered the Hive, he knew Crota was one of them.

This was completely alien, and none of them enjoyed that fact.

Being cautious of the lamps that had formed underneath the surface of the Moon (knowing full well that they'll explode if one lingered too long around them), Liam followed the path out, getting washed with the glow of sunlight from the Earth only to see the strange figures on a ledge out of his reach above him. Dozens of them. All seeming to be staring right at him.

He was unnerved instantly upon the sight, but pushed forward. It was nothing he couldn't adapt to.

"The source of our...disturbance...should be right around here." Following the only path available to him, Liam felt his skin crawl with an icy chill as he saw one of the Pyramids; ships he's only seen twice: once upon a vision as the Traveler's Light washed through the known galaxy, and second among the shifting starvision table before Mara Sov left to join a mutual friend (which Liam believes to be the Exo Stranger he and his fireteam had met on Venus). "That's...one of those Pyramids. It can't be. That should not be here."

Aiden spoke up and both he and Crota agreed. Why was it here? Why did Liam's vision twist and pulse with the same warping that figure had left behind? Was it coming from there? "Eris must have gone inside." Liam drew closer slowly, unsure of what to make of this discovery.

However, Liam's worry about this whole situation only grew has he heard the warping static in Aiden's voice when he had spoken; it's only happened when something or someone is trying to speak to him through his Ghost.

Whatever that Pyramid was, it was alive to some degree and it **knew** Liam was here.

"Something's wrong. I feel strange. Like someone--or something--is invading my Light." That must be what's causing the distortion in Aiden's voice, and it was in that moment when he turned the corner into the corridor that more of those figures surrounded them; walking through the corridor, he saw more of them--floating, lifeless, all starting at him.

"That...thing across the way. What is that?" Dropping down into the large open space that seemed to lead to the Pyramid, there was a giant sphere of vibrant red with faint tendrils stretching out from it. Liam went closer to investigate, but found they could only get so far. "There's some sort of massive energy spike here. It's too heavy for us to pass through." _So maybe Eris didn't go this way?_ That warping was dense around them as they stood by the sphere. Was this what was causing it?

Suddenly, the warping of the air around them bloomed and the being standing before him nearly had him frozen in fear.

Crota.

The entity within Liam's throne world of the same name knew something was wrong. Crota, impressed by Liam's power and skill, had granted the last of his essence to Liam, binding his soul with the Hunter for as long as his Hive markings remain. There was no way in hell that he's been resurrected.

This was something else. Dark. Powerful. With the intent to kill. And it wanted Liam.

"Crota!? But he's dead!" Aiden yelped. The Chosen One reacted quickly, gunning down the swarming Thrall and Acolytes without much conscious thought, focusing more on how to combat Crota without the presence of a Swordbearer to take him down using Sword Logic.

He found that his bullets seemed to be working well enough in the given situation, though the sudden immunity quelled any hope of making it out of here alive. _Ah, that's how._ Liam managed, thankfully, to find that the immunity would vanish upon killing any Hive that shared the same red glow that Crota did. This was going to be a long fight.

Having brought Crota down to what appeared to be nearly half his life, the Hive Prince summoned more Hive than Liam knew he could safely handle, but thankfully his gift from Tevis was ready to fly and he shot his tether to land at Crota's feet, ensnaring Crota and every single one of the Hive that had been close to him, quickly killing off dozens in one go with a nicely placed headshot or two.

But then all the Hive vanished, and... "He's regenerating?" Crota was healing--something that's never happened before--and then as he stood back up, he raised his blade in the air and a large sphere of glowing red-orange--a portal, Liam realized moments later--appeared and there standing beside him were two beings that Liam could only believe that one could actually be alive again.

Dominus Ghaul, and The Fanatic.

Hive, Cabal, and Scorn swamped the area, Liam desperately trying to hold his position. "We can't win. We have to go. Now." "I agree, but how?" _Don't worry, it will happen._ Crota reassured Liam. Seconds later there was a voice, familiar and having been achingly missed, that sounded in his head.

_"Guardian! Come...with...me!"_

Eris Morn. An incantation followed her words and Liam knew that she was using her magic to summon him to her side. He fought until the last word of the spell was spoken and he was greeted with an encompassing black.

* * *

As his feet landed on solid ground, Liam looked across the area and saw the back of the woman he was looking for. "Eris Morn." He greeted his old friend, noting as he got closer that one of those figures he had saw earlier was floating behind her, but the resourceful woman didn't seem to mind it, so he didn't question it.

"What is that Pyramid?" Liam asked as he stood by Eris's side; he desperately wanted to ask her about everything that was going on, what she had gone through while she was away, but that _thing_ was the more pressing issue, so the things Liam wanted to ask could wait. "You've heard the stories. Of the Traveler's sacrifice. Of Darkness descending upon humanity. Before us lies a dark remnant of their existence. Was it struck down by the Traveler? Left here on purpose? The truth is ours to discover."

Liam cocked a brow even though he knew she couldn't see it. "Discover how?" She turned to him, a knowing smirk on her lips and an eagerness in her body he hasn't seen in what felt like years. "We find a way inside."


	2. Catching Up

Sanctuary wasn't too far from the old LZ, Eris most likely having set up here since it was so isolated now that these things, these not-Hive, have crawled out of the Moon. Eris had her back to him, that being floating near her some distance away. As he approached her, Crota let his presence fade away, both of them knowing that the closer to the surface Crota was in Liam's throne world, the easier it was for Eris to sense him.

And keeping a good and missed friend at ease was priority right now. _You and I still need to talk, but it can wait._ He told Crota as he finally approached Eris, waiting for her to face him. "Ghaul...the Fanatic...Crota. Like living nightmares, your past confronts you, Guardian." "Why does it not surprise me that you know about the Fanatic?" Liam asked, not missing the little twitch of a smile that crept across Eris's lips.

"Old scars reopen around me as well. Phantoms of my friends return with a malice they never truly had. Everyone of them, the twisted will of that looming Pyramid. We must not let it distract us from our goal: finding a way inside." Liam locked his eyes with Eris. "We're in this together now. Nothing can stop us." Her resolve was comforting.

Liam glanced behind Eris. "Who's your friend?" "A phantom of my deceased fireteam member, Sai Mota. She may haunt me, but it is only a trick of the Pyramid." Eris informed him, knowing full well that Liam will not let a sleeping wolf lie. It's not in his nature to do so; his mind always falls prey to wanting to learn everything there is about anything, something most Warlocks have to deal with on a daily basis. She was glad for how he thought, actually.

After all, it was his curiosity and drive to help a fellow Guardian that lead him down into that pit and slay Crota. She still admits to being impressed by his ability to take down such a powerful being single handedly, but then again, he did manage to kill Xol by himself. "So what tabs have you kept on me?" Liam asked as he examined the contents of the table next to them; wasn't much to look at, but he wanted to know all the same.

"I know that you have found Osiris and ensured the safety of our world from the hands of the Vex; I felt as you slayed Nokris and Xol." "Even from here?" Eris chuckled. "Nokris may have been an excommunicated son of Oryx, but he was powerful all the same; magic as strong as theirs can be felt diminishing no matter where one is." Made sense to him; while Eris could use Hive spells, both of them had strong ties to Hive magic for different reasons.

"And...I am sorry." Eris felt as Liam's eyes left hers and fell onto the ground. "As you know, there would have been nothing I could have done, but... I have never forgotten how dearly you held Cayde to your heart." "...How are you holding up?" Eris gave Liam a confused look. "I know you two never _really_ showed it, but I can see an honest friendship no matter how you veil it." There was a pout on Eris's lips and Liam admits it was the cutest thing he's seen Eris do.

"I...am like you, I believe. Mourning a dear friend whom no one can replace." Liam slipped his helmet off then, knowing that Crota, Oryx, and Aiden will keep him safe. Liam pulled Eris in close, his face tucked into her neck as best as he could manage and felt her tensing up at the action. "I didn't mean to cause you more pain, friend." Eris relaxed and her expression softened as she sheepishly returned the embrace. She had forgotten that she had told Liam practically everything about what happened in that pit; about losing everything and everyone she's ever cared about.

She knows that, after he had killed Ghaul with the Traveler's aid, Liam had searched far and wide, and gathered all of the bodies of the fallen, leading a system wide memorial for all those whom had been murdered when the Light was stolen from them. Liam cares deeply about every single person he knows the name of, including his enemies.

She remembers watching him through her magic as he stayed by the Scorn Baron that had killed Sundance, listening to his last words and breaths, taking a small trinket from him before he left; he always kept some piece of the targets he's had to hunt down, wanting to keep their memories alive so that he's never taken surprised by people like them ever again. Eris couldn't recall all of the tales he's told her about staying with the allies he's made from enemies, listening to their histories and stories, and aiding them as best as he could.

Foolish, she once said upon hearing his deeds. Now? Now that knowledge could be the key to helping them understand what is happening on the Moon; knowledge he's gained from listening to Crota and Oryx and Nokris and Xol. From listening to Riven and the other Ahamkara that had bound itself to him when he first wore its bones.

"Oh. I nearly forgot." Liam started as he slipped his helmet back on, digging into a pocket on his armor. "That...thing of Crota dropped this." He had only barely managed to snag it when Crota had dropped to a knee as he started to heal. It was an object that both could tell harbors a dark energy. "I can't make sense of it, but you've clearly been here longer than I have, and had been here before all of this chaos happened. Perhaps you can make sense of it."

If anyone could uncover the secrets of this thing, it was Eris. "I'll study it and see what I can discover. In the meantime, the Moon hosts further mysteries to uncover regarding entering the Pyramid. The Hive seem to be exhibiting strange behavior around the Scarlet Keep." "Think it might be related?" "Perhaps. Only one way to find out."

Both Hunters smirked.


	3. In Search Of Answers

The best way to get to the Scarlet Keep for the moment was to start in the Hellmouth and move from there. "Alright, Eris. Where to?" _"The Pyramid's warding is only a temporary inconvenience. We must first understand how it works if we're to pass through it. For that, the Hive may provide answers."_ Liam killed off some nearby Fallen and Hive while Eris spoke.

_"For eons, they've lived next to the Pyramid. And now they've constructed that Scarlet Keep above it. Its existence was clearly no secret to them. Now that it's activated, strange congregations of Hive have begun to appear on the Moon. There is undoubtedly a connection."_ "Then that's where we start."

Jumping on the Sparrow he earned through playing too much Gambit to be healthy by anyone's standards, Liam made his way to Sorrow's Harbor, a new area to the Hunter. "...Crota, how did you know that Eris was going to save us?" Liam asked on the ride there, thankful for all the hours he sunk into Sparrow racing to navigate the narrow tunnel without running into anything. _Contacted her. Said you had answered her call and that you were in lethal danger._ Crota explained, Liam humming. So that was how; his runes hadn't rejoined Eris's magic so he could do that himself, but thankfully Crota could push past whatever it was that had prevented that connection from happening at the time and called for aid in the moment Liam truly needed it.

Having to face those freaky, twisted versions of Crota, Ghaul, and the Fanatic by himself in an area with such limited cover... _Doable, but I wouldn't want to test my luck._ The tunnel opened up across a small bridge and soon Liam was staring out over Sorrow's Harbor.

"Eris, we found it. It appears to be a ritual of some kind." Aiden spoke as Liam looked over the area; several scattered plates surrounded by small walls littered the area, Liam seeing those same red spheres from before on a few of them. _"We must learn its purpose. Do not be afraid to engage the Hive."_ Liam felt himself smirk at her words.

Having to look into these Nightmares wasn't something that anyone would do. Not any sane person, some would say. But Liam knows that if Eris is seeing these Phantoms as well, then he must still be sane on some level. After all, Eris has been through too much, and yet she still holds onto her sanity.

While it took some effort to do, killing the Nightmares was achievable, something that helped to ease Liam's mind. Did they reoccur after some time? Yes, but at least they didn't seem to be indestructible.

_So, wait...the Hive are using the ritual to..._ "Eris, it's the Nightmares. The Hive are trying to draw them in for the ritual." _"How curious... For what purpose?"_ "It's unclear." Liam stated from his perch, scanning the area and watching as other Guardians fought the Nightmares that were summoned, taking an occasional pot shot at them with his sniper. "But they don't seem affected by the Nightmares at all. Not like we are."

_"Fascinating. We must learn how they've achieved that. That's our key to finding a way beyond the Pyramid's war--"_ A scream suddenly ripped through the comms, one Liam couldn't place his finger on, but defiantly belonged to a Deathsinger.

"Eris?!" Liam shouted, worry laced heavily in his voice. No reply. "Those screams sounded familiar. Almost like..." Liam's blood ran cold when the Wizard he was about to name let her presence surface a bit from his throne world. "Omnigul." Liam gritted his teeth as he leapt from his perch, calling out his Sparrow and ignoring the pain in his groin as it landed on the ground as he mounted it. "We have to hurry."

This wasn't a good sign.


	4. The Encroaching Nightmare

"Eris? Eris?!" Liam screamed as he entered Sanctuary again, pure relief flooding through every inch of his body when he saw Eris standing in her spot, unharmed.

"Sai Mota screams as she did the day Omnigul tore her apart and silenced her forever. Our fates nearly intertwined today when a Nightmare of Omnigul swept through camp. My survival was a gift, granted by the Essence you retrieved from the Crota Nightmare." "It...protected you?" Liam asked as Eris handed him the Essence, feeling that it still held its dark magic, but it wasn't as strong now.

"Were we to truly harness the power of this Essence, it may provide aid in the fight against the Nightmares--and beyond, to the Pyramid itself." Eris glanced in the direction that lead to the Scarlet Keep. "It knows we're coming. I can sense it. And we will have the upper hand." Liam could feel it too; feel that darkness tingling against the back of his neck, ever present but silent.

Liam glanced behind Eris to check that the Phantom that was with her wasn't any closer, and to his dismay, found that there was now two of them. "I'm not sure that I'm okay with the growing number of Phantoms you're standing to gather, Eris."

Eris turned a little to look at the two beings floating near her. "It appears that the screams of Sai's phantom have brought forth another burden for me to bear--the phantom of Vell Tarlowe." Liam frowned. "Are you gonna be okay?" Eris sighed. "I will be, no need to concern yourself, Liam." Said man stepped closer and settled his hand on her shoulder, noticing as she tensed up for a second. "You'll tell me if it becomes too much, right?" "Always." "Okay. If you want them gone, then you say so and I'll figure out a way to dispel them." Eris giggled softly at his words, shoulders relaxing some.

That was a comfort, at least. Liam could see that Eris was still trying to adjust the the sudden influx of Guardians visiting her--some for the first time, others for what feels like the hundredth time--and knew that she tended to just keep to herself before she gets comfortable; knowing that she still had such a deep trust with him soothed his anxious nerves.

"So, how do we make this into possibly useful armor?" "You cleanse it. I trust you'll find a way to do so?" Liam chuckled. "Cleansing tainted relics seems to be a hobby of mine. It shouldn't take me too long to do so." Eris gave him a puzzled but amused look. "Let's see...I've turned the heart of an ascendant Primeval into a gun; I've recreated a Thorn; I purified the original Thorn and turned _that_ into a new gun, um..." Eris laughed openly at that point. "No, I know. I've seen your work. It just surprises me that you'd call that a hobby."

"What else do you call cleansing relics on a daily basis?" Liam asked and enjoyed the soft sound of Eris's laugh. "...I should let you get to it." Eris spoke after a moment of silence between them and Liam nodded, setting out towards the Anchor of Light to begin cleansing the Essence.

He spent most of his time in the area aiding the fallen Guardians that seemed to be trapped, hoping to ease some of their pain. _...Please don't let there be a Phantom of Cayde._ Liam doesn't think he'll be able to handle that.

* * *

Soon enough, the Essence was cleaned and he was heading back to Eris. Though, he wasn't a huge fan of the fact that another Phantom now hung near her. "It's done." Liam informed her as he drew close, sensing that what she was about to say might put him at some level of unease.

"In the depths of the Hellmouth, my very soul was shattered into pieces. It was all I could do to try and pick them up again. But some pieces, as you can see, required replacing." Eris hung her head for a moment. "I must call upon one of them now--an ancient Talisman imbued with the magic of the Hive. Without it, the true power of the Nightmare Essence could not be harnessed."

Eris carefully took the cleansed Essence from Liam's hands and he watched as she used the talisman, the Essence morphing into a cloak. One Eris gripped just tight enough for Liam to know that she was a little bit scared for what she needed him to do next. "Through their union, we take our first step toward unearthing the secrets of the Pyramid. But it is only a step. Further Essences require further Hive magic, neither of which I possess. Acquire both, and our path to the Pyramid should present itself."

Liam nodded, though his eyes drifted beyond his friend to the Phantoms that haunt her. "The Pyramid wastes no time--a phantom of Toland has arrived with every intention of distracting me. It will not work." Eris stated as she handed Liam the cloak. Liam, after hearing Eris's words, began to mull something over, Crota taking interest in his thoughts.

_I know nearly everything Eris has to tell about her time in the Hellmouth. **You did get rather close to her before you hunted me.**_ Crota commented, Liam having stepped away from Eris to leave her with her thoughts. _...You think that the Pyramid could be using her past to try and distract her?_ It was a possible theory.

As they get closer and closer to managing to get inside the Pyramid, there was a high chance that more and more of Eris's lost fireteam will reappear to her, trying to distract her enough for her to forget the task at hand by weighing her down with guilt.

Liam scoffed at the idea. He knows Eris is not a woman to distracted by that kind of thing. One can't add more guilt to a person who already completely blames themselves for the loss of everything they once loved.

The pain of being forced to watch his friend suffer was pushed to the side. _We've got more pressing issues to deal with._ Liam removed his cloak and clasped into place the piece of armor created from the Essence of Despair the Nightmare of Crota dropped--Dreambane armor, he'll call it--around his shoulders.

_The hunt for Omnigul begins once again._


End file.
